Prompt #2: Johnson

Hey everyone,

This prompt is about the linguistic, ethnic, and socio cultural characteristics of the students that are part of the classroom that I visit every week. The students come from various backgrounds, and speak many different languages. One thing that really stuck out to me was how the kids who spoke the same languages all sat together. They feel comfortable sitting with their peers when they can speak their own native language with them. Just by being in the classroom a few times it is very clear to see how the children get into cliques based on their ethnicity and language.

With the data I have gathered from info-works and my observations, I have learned a lot about the children in my classroom and what kind of backgrounds they come from. As I researched I found that 93 percent of the students in the elementary school received free or reduced lunch. This coincides with the poverty rate seeing that they are almost exactly the same. The school is made up of students from many different cultures and ethnicities. 66 percent of the students are Hispanic, 23 percent African American, 8 percent Asian, and 4 percent white. 43 percent of the students are in the English as a second language program. This is very shocking! Almost half of the school is learning English as a second language when they are not even perfect at speaking their own language. This is something that needs to be recognized and addressed. Children cannot possibly learn if the material is presented to them in a language in which they do not know or understand completely.

The students in my class sometimes forget that they are in school and act as if they are at home with their families. The teacher tries her best to relate to everyone and their backgrounds, but it is difficult with such a wide variety of ethnicities. Each lesson is designed by the teacher so that it is fair to the whole class and universally connects everyone. The class I am in is mostly Asian and Hispanic children. The teacher speaks Spanish fluently and sometimes she even speaks Spanish to the children when they do not listen. The class that I visit every week is like a melting pot. Children come from all different cultures and backgrounds, but they are all put into one classroom where they interact and learn with each other. This sets up a future for our world where everyone understands and respects one another, regardless of race or ethnicity.

The theorist that relates most closely to this topic is Johnson. The article titled: “Our House is On Fire”, is about white privilege and power. The main points that are made throughout the writing are that the problem of race and racism is not going to be solved until we as a whole country realize that it is indeed an issue. People who do not see the school that I visit do not understand the struggle and fight that these kids deal with on a daily basis. They have the world against them, and they are expected to succeed. The reason why the white people have power is because they just ignore the problems that those in poverty suffer from, and are ignorant and blind to reality. The children in the classroom I visit are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty which is nearly impossible to escape. They do not have the resources, money, or power to dig themselves out of the hole that the privileged people of our society have put them in.